KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Here’s a look at the first half of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) and a preview of what to expect in the second half.

Grade: B+ It took some time for the Chiefs to find their footing. They were a most shaky 2-2 through four games and looked headed for a disappointing season. But the Chiefs turned their situation around by playing their three most complete games of the season in beginning their current four-game winning streak. The Chiefs found offensive rhythm by finally committing to their running game. That opened up some things downfield in the passing game. Meanwhile, the Chiefs held three high-scoring teams (Raiders, Saints and Colts) to a total of 45 points.

Midseason MVP: The Chiefs are again among the league leaders in forcing turnovers, and cornerback Marcus Peters is again showing the way. Peters has five interceptions and a couple of fumble recoveries. With Peters, it’s more than his numbers but also his "bring it on!" attitude that makes him valuable. Peters made a lot of big plays last season as a rookie but gave up many as well. He has cut down that number dramatically this year as opposing quarterbacks have started to stay away from his side of the field.

Best moment: The final 23 minutes of the season opener against the Chargers were the most dramatic. The Chiefs scored 30 points to overcome a big deficit and win in overtime. But the Chiefs rid themselves of an ugly burden in Indianapolis two weeks ago when they finally beat Andrew Luck and the Colts. Luck’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete with two seconds remaining. It wouldn’t have mattered if the throw had been completed because the Chiefs held a secure lead at the time. But they felt better about vanquishing Luck and the Colts the way they did. The Chiefs sacked Luck six times, intercepted him once and caused him to lose a fumble.

Worst moment: The Chiefs looked headed to a disappointing season in Week 4 when they weren’t competitive in a 43-14 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Chiefs trailed 22-0 at the end of one period, 29-0 at the end of two and 36-0 at the end of three before scoring two purely cosmetic touchdowns in the final quarter. The Chiefs allowed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to throw five touchdown passes and Peters gave up a long pass to Sammie Coates on Pittsburgh’s first play from scrimmage.

Player to watch: Rookie wide receiver Tyreek Hill is creeping onto the list of contenders for team MVP. After a slow start on offense, Hill has turned into the Chiefs’ big-play receiver. He had three catches of at least 30 yards in recent games against the Saints and Colts, with two going for touchdowns. Hill also has been valuable as a return specialist, particularly on punts. He’s averaging more than 16 yards per punt return. Look for the Chiefs to try to get the ball to Hill even more in the season’s second half.

Second-half outlook: Much remains to be decided with regard to the AFC West race. The Chiefs still have two games against the Broncos and one against the Raiders. Three of their last six games are against those teams beginning with a Nov. 27 meeting against the Broncos in Denver. The Chiefs will remain a contender for the division title at least until then and probably down to the season’s final game on Jan. 1 against the Chargers in San Diego.